The Incubator Process: Methodology
Abstract
This document is the first of two that describe a needs-generation and evaluation methodology that was developed and implemented in support of the Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). This document presents the general methodology that was developed; its companion document "The Incubator Process: Implementation Experience for a Proposed Follow-on to the MOUT ACTD" (IDA-D-2778) describes this methodology through the experience of one specific application. The Incubator Process was born out of the MOUT ACTD program's desire to perform the necessary groundwork for the successful launch of a proposed, urban operations-focused, follow-on program. The MOUT ACTD had been organized on the basis of requirements identified by a group of warfighters with operational experience relevant to that program. Some recognized, however, that the program's technology search had been constrained from the beginning because some requirements had been rather narrowly defined. Having learned from this experience, the proposed follow-on effort to the MOUT ACTD intended to adopt a needs-based approach. It is the preliminary stage of such a needs-based approach that began to be referred to as the Incubator Process or, simply, Incubator. Incubator provides a methodology for identifying focal areas for that program's technology search, and enables the development of support tools for data collection and the assessment of capabilities identified for each need, It is intended as a process for identifying, developing, and evaluating warfighter needs and capabilities in advance of or at least during the very early stages of a science and technology program. This needs-based approach involves a four-layer devolution of a warfighter need in order to identify and evaluate specific capabilities, technical solutions, and technical approaches that address that need. (2 figures)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA413290
Entities
People
- Christina M. Patterson
- Dennis F. Deriggi
- Kevin Battle
- Mary C. Flythe
- W. M. Christenson
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses